FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Spring Arbor University volleyball started the 2022 season off with a bang picking up two wins at the Onset Invitational in Fort Wayne on Friday. The Cougars opened with a three-set win over the University of Northwestern Ohio before overcoming a two-set deficit to defeat Indiana University Northwest in the nightcap.
VS. NORTHWESTERN OHIO
FINAL SCORE: Spring Arbor 3, Northwestern Ohio 0 (25-8, 25-11, 28-26)
LOCATION: Allen County War Memorial Coliseum | Fort Wayne, Ind.
RECORDS: Spring Arbor 1-0, Northwestern Ohio 0-1
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
- Spring Arbor cruised in the first two sets winning 25-8 and 25-11.
- Northwestern Ohio came out strong in the third set, however, grabbing a 12-7 lead. The Racers held a 14-9 advantage before the Cougars tallied nine of the next 12 points to take an 18-17 lead. Back-to-back kills from Alison Nibbelink and Kendall Bollenbacher late in the set put SAU in the driver's seat, and the Cougars would hang on to complete the sweep.
- Nibbelink had 13 kills and a .450 hitting percentage to lead the way while Abigail Fernihough and Bollenbacher followed with seven and six kills, respectively.
- Setters Hayden Fortress and Kenady Cox combined for 26 assists.
VS. INDIANA NORTHWEST
FINAL SCORE: Spring Arbor 3, Indiana Northwest 2
LOCATION: Allen County War Memorial Coliseum | Fort Wayne, Ind.
RECORDS: Spring Arbor 2-0, Indiana Northwest 1-1
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
- Spring Arbor dropped the first two sets to begin its match against Indiana Northwest, and trailed 23-18 in the third set, but the Cougars refused to quit.
- The Cougars stormed back, rattling off seven consecutive points, including four kills from McKenna Peters, to erase the 23-18 deficit and take the third set.
- Clinging to a 22-20 advantage in the fourth set, A late kill from Peters and an ace from Fortress helped seal the game and force a decisive fifth set.
- Spring Arbor held a narrow 10-9 lead in the fifth set before a kill from Peters gave the Cougars a little cushion. Nibbelink followed with three straight kills to complete the comeback.
- Peters finished with 16 kills followed by Nibbelink with 12 and Bollenbacher had 11.
- Cox handed out 49 assists and recorded seven digs.
- Frances Churchwell picked up 18 digs while Fortress finished with 11, while adding 10 assists, and Abby Thomas collected 10.
UP NEXT
Spring Arbor wraps up play in the Onset Invitational on Saturday with matches against Lawrence Tech at 1 p.m. and Indiana University East at 5 p.m.
